In a world of superheroes, how do you stand out from the rest? If you’re a member of Vought International’s the Seven you just try not to be a jerk. However, that’s easier said than done and as season 2 of Amazon Prime Video’s The Boys kicks off we’re once again reminded that just because you have superpowers doesn’t mean you’re using them for good.
Season 2 dives right back into the action with the all-powerful Seven, a group of seven superheroes who are the face of Vought International and trying to get Compound V (what gave them superpowers in the first place) off the ground. And even though they’ve all taken a douse, or two (or 10), of Compound V, they’ve all got different powers and abilities that are frequently put to the test.
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If you thought trying to keep track of the ever-growing and changing roster for the Avengers and Justice League was too much to handle, don’t worry, because the superhero Seven aren’t that far off from a lot of characters you already know and love. But, there are new faces and new powers, and if you need a refresher on who’s who, and who can do what, here’s what you need to know about everyone’s powers.
Photo: Courtesy of James Minchin/Amazon Studios.
Homelander (Played by Antony Starr)
Powers: Superhuman strength, speed, agility, X-Ray vision, heat vision, flight. The ones we see him use the most frequently are his strength, flight powers, and heat vision as he shoots powerful light beams out of his eyes burning everything in sight. Just like in the comics, Homelander’s heat vision can cut through flesh and bone immediately killing someone, and/or severing a limb.
Inspired by: Captain America, Superman. He’s got a cape and he can fly, and he’s got the front of a patriotic do-gooder.
Looking for an all-American hero? Okay, well it’s not Homelander, but he’s certainly playing the part of one. As the most powerful member of the Seven, in every sense of the word, he serves as the de-facto leader of the group thanks to his myriad of superhuman abilities.
Photo: Courtesy of James Minchin/Amazon Studios.
Starlight (Played by Erin Moriarty)
Inspired by: Supergirl, Stargirl. Just like these DC counterparts, Starlight is first introduced as a wide-eyed, plucky young hero just hoping to do some good in the world.
Photo: Courtesy of James Minchin/Amazon Studios.
Stormfront (Played by Aya Cash)
Powers: Superhuman strength, flight, electrokinesis aka the ability to manipulate energy seen with Stormfront via lighting, regeneration. There’s a big shift between Stormfront in the comics and Stormfront in the series: Stormfront can manipulate energy via lightning, but Stormfront in the comics could actually control the weather making actual lightning. Living up to her name, Stormfront has the ability to create and shoot energy out of her body, that manifests like lightning bolts. She also has the ability to fly, and when injured in battle can regenerate parts of her body with little trouble.
Inspired by: A little bit of Superman, and a whole lot of Shazam. Stormfront takes the good characteristics of these characters and then, well, uses them to be a jerk. It should also be noted that in the comics, Stormfront is a dude.
Photo: Courtesy of James Minchin/Amazon Studios.
A-Train (Played by Jessie T. Usher)
Every superhero group needs to have a speedster, and for the Seven that’s A-Train. His power is that he can run incredibly fast, covering extreme distances in a short amount of time. He can also easily get in and out of areas completely undetected thanks to how fast he moves. In addition to that, even though he’s traveling faster than the speed of light, he’s still able to recognize the world around him and take in information as he passes locations.
In both the show and the comics, A-Train has issues controlling his powers oftentimes causing him trouble. However, on the show, this is chalked up to A-Train’s overuse of Compound V, which he becomes addicted to in season 1. No indication yet that A-Train can access things like a speed force or a multiverse, or other things usually associated with speedsters. He’s just fast!
Inspired by: The Flash, Quicksilver.
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Photo: Courtesy of James Minchin/Amazon Studios.
Kimiko, aka The Female (Played by Karen Fukuhara)
Regeneration is Kimiko’s most impressive attribute, giving her the ability to actually come back from the dead following fatal injuries.
Inspired by: Wolverine, X-23. The only thing Kimiko is missing is claws considering she’s got the silent, deadly persona going on already.
Queen Maeve (Played by Dominique McElligott)
Only second to Homelander in terms of her physical strength, Queen Maeve is still not someone you’d want to go up against in a fight. In the comics, she can actually fly like some of her counterparts, but on the show that’s been replaced by her ability to just jump super far and high.
While most of her powers line up between the comics and series, Queen Maeve is actually a lot kinder and emphatic on The Boys, giving her a little bit more heart while saving the day.
Inspired by: Wonder Woman. Everything about Queen Maeve screams “Diana of Themyscira” and even her costume — along with tiara! — is reminiscent of the DC character.
Photo: Courtesy of James Minchin/Amazon Studios.
The Deep (Chace Crawford)
If there’s trouble near a body of water, The Deep is the guy to call. While he’s strong and fast like the rest of the Seven, he really excels when it comes to the water. Whatever way you want to look at it, he’s literally an aqua man. The Deep can breathe underwater and can talk to all sorts of different fish, frequently leaving them to be his only allies.
The comics counterpart of The Deep has a few different abilities, namely the fact that The Deep can fly (a guy flying out of the water? That’s terrifying). The comics outfit is actually radically different, giving The Deep a diving helmet to wear and aligning him closely with a certain DC hero.
Inspired by: Aquaman. In case you aren’t up on superhero in-jokes, aquatic-based powers are usually looked down upon, leaving these heroes to often be the butt of jokes. Like, there’s a reason HBO’s Entourage decided to make a fake Aquaman movie.
Black Noir (Played by Nathan Mitchell)
Inspired by: In a twist, Black Noir is actually inspired by Batman, specifically Batman’s darker days and darker color scheme.
Lamplighter (Played by Shawn Ashmore)
The comics have a completely different Lamplighter, as he’s actually a villain and frequently fought in opposition with the Seven. After he’s killed, he’s brought back to life by Vought Industries and kept as a zombie.
Inspired by: He’s supposed to be a parody of Green Lantern, considering his giant lamplighter staff looks like, well, a lantern.
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Gecko (Played by David Thompson)
Inspired by: Comic book characters who can regenerate
Eagle the Archer (Played by Langston Kerman)
Inspired by: Green Arrow, Hawkeye. You never know when you'll need an archer on your team!
Blindspot (Played by Chris Mark)
Inspired by: Daredevil
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